Deer Culling To Begin On Floyd Estate, Fire Island

LONG ISLAND, NY — Officials plan to cull the deer at the William Floyd Estate and along Fire Island National Seashore from now until February as part of the White-tailed Deer Management Plan, the National Park Service said.

The culling will be carried out by highly qualified wildlife professionals while areas of the park are closed for the public’s safety, according to officials.

The park service is responsible for maintaining a balanced ecosystem for the benefit of the environment and for current and future visitors to enjoy, and the overabundance of white-tailed deer damage plants and browse most native plant species, which can prevent forest and ecosystem regeneration, officials said.

This damage has also decreased available habitat for native birds and other wildlife.

The 2016 plan sets forth an integrated deer management strategy to achieve a deer density goal of 20-to-25 deer per square mile and to reduce human-wildlife conflicts. The management strategy outlined in the plan includes fencing, expanded education and outreach, and increased deer and vegetation monitoring and research.

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